Sony pioneers digital photo GPS gadget

How about this for a cool little idea: Sony has developed a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit that can be used to add location information to digital pictures. The 9cm long GPS-CS1 unit is intended to be attached to a belt and worn throughout the day as pictures are being taken.

A beltingly good idea

By
Martyn Williams
| 07 Aug 2006

How about this for a cool little idea: Sony has developed a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit that can be used to add location information to digital pictures. The 9cm long GPS-CS1 unit is intended to be attached to a belt and worn throughout the day as pictures are being taken.

Every 15 seconds it records the current location and the time, thus building up a record of exactly where the user has been during the day. Later that data can be matched with the time stamp on the digital images to work out where the picture was taken.

Sony supplies a software application to do the data matching and has upgraded its Motion Picture Browser software to link in with Google Maps. The GPS unit will run for about 10 hours on an AA battery and the unit's internal 31MB memory can store about 15 days' worth of GPS data. The GPS-CS1 will be launched in September in the US and Japan, and will cost around $150. Details on a European launch have not yet been announced.